Thornfield Flashcards
‘reader’ chapter 11
repetition. moments of change
‘the roads were heavy, the light misty’ chapter 11
metaphorical - moving through the Bildungsroman
Mrs Fairfax
warmth from ‘fire’. social class is inextricably linked with character. doesn’t answer Jane’s questions clearly about Rochester and Thornfield - mystery
‘keys’ chapter 11
repetition.deeply symbolic for Thornfield being shrouded in secrecy. Jane being kept from secrets in the house
‘I anticipated only coldness and stiffness… but I must not exult too soon’ chapter 11
awkward social position of the governess - above servants but below family. Bronte introducing theme of social inequality
‘an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty, and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion’s designation’ chapter 11
link to Mr Rochester and foreshadows the secrets that surround Thornfield
Adele
‘she is Mr Rochester’s ward’ - deliberate use of Romantic terms. adopted in rich household to improve social standing
‘most of the books were locked up’ chapter 11
freedom contrasts with images of locked up - dichotomy of Mr Rochester/Jane? society to repress
Mr Rochester
incite into his character - “Mr Rochester’s visits here are rare, they are always sudden and unexpected” - sense of entitlement. “he is rather peculiar” “he is very changeful and abrupt”
‘all these relics gave to the third storey of Thornfield Hall the aspect of a home of the past: a shrine of memory’
something from past - gothic genre- link to Bertha - thing from the past that is locked away
‘if there were a ghost at Thornfield Hall this would be its haunt’ chapter 11
Bertha is the ghost - unseen - causes speculation
‘the laugh was as tragic, as preternatural a laugh as any I ever heard’ chapter 11
echoes loneliness of Bertha. beyond what is normal
‘women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do’ chapter 12
Bronte showing proto-feminist thoughts which men in Victorian era would find repellent
‘appear through the dusk’ chapter 12
pathetic fallacy - highly metaphorical - doesn’t see Rochester - man shrouding in secrecy
Gytrash
Jane is sensitive to omens - believes in supernatural - gothic atmosphere - vivid and theatrical
‘man and horse were down’ chapter 12
foreshadowing Rochester’s disability and Jane caring for him. inverse of and an antipathy of any Romantic meeting’
‘silent hall… faint excitement… too still existence’ chapter 12
all adjectives show Jane is trapped
‘I knew my traveller by his broad and jetty eyebrows; his square forehead, made squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair’ chapter 13
Rochester is the Byronic Hero - mysterious, dark, brooding, well travelled and set apart from society norms
‘reader… these pictures were in water-colours…clouds low and livid, rolling over a swollen sea’ chapter 13
Romantic, preoccupation with extreme wild landscapes and exotica are indicative of Jane’s true nature
“they are elfish” chapter 13
link to how Jane saw herself in the red room - communion of souls between Jane and Rochester. sense of exotica
“you have the air of a little nonnette” chapter 14
Jane’s innocence. Jane is able to speak the truth to him. Bronte to show development of Jane growing up and loving Rochester
“I have plenty faults of my own… I envy you your peace of mind… I am not a villain” chapter 14
Rochester referring obliquely to Bertha. shows how he views himself as ‘polluted’ - Bertha was a prostitute. Rochester admires Jane’s purity and her sense of innocence
“I have a right to get pleasure out of life” chapter 14
really intimate conversation about sex - heightened intimacy between Jane and Rochester and heightens status of Byronic Hero
chapter 15
story of Adele. Jane absolute antithesis of Celine
‘demonic laugh… goblin laughter… unnatural sound was reiterated’ chapter 15
not human - reinforces that Bertha is robbed of her humanity
‘tongues of flame darted around the bed… smoke had stupefied him’ chapter 15
fire in Rochester’s room. smoke metaphorically represents how Jane is unable to see truth of Thornfield. Bertha’s strength of passion - uncontrollable wildness in contrast Jane gets her water jug and ‘baptised the couch afresh’ - washing away sins Jane’s christian temperance saves Rochester - raging passion of both Jane and Bertha
“It is as well to have a drawn bolt between one and any mischief that may be about” chapter 16
Grace warns Jane to keep her door locked - adding to secrets kept from Jane
Blanche Ingram
defined by beauty “Miss Ingram was definitely the queen” ‘her laugh was satirical’ -mocking ‘she played…she sang…she talked French’-all the accomplishments necessary for her class
‘fool… idiot’ chapter 16 ‘don’t make him the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies and so forth. he is not of you order’ chapter 17
Jane scolds herself for considering Rochester would think well of her - linked to image what she knows about Blanche. “Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain” - Bronte once again highlighting the isolating and painful social position of a governess
“doesn’t she know?”… there was a mystery at Thornfield… I was purposely excluded’ chapter 17
more aware of her exclusion from the deepening mystery, furthering impacting her isolation within Thornfield
“what beautiful ladies!” chapter 17
exclamatory - Adele is interested in appearance - innocent eyes of a child - appearance vs reality theme introduced
‘I retired to a window seat’ chapter 17
observer - metaphorical representation for social class and society
‘flock of white plumy birds’ chapter 17
quainted metaphor - Jane is describing them for who appearance is entirely important
“what induced you to take charge of such a little doll as that?” chapter 17
Blanche’s lack of warmth -reduces Adele to a thing
“all incubi” “don’t mention the word governess, the word makes me nervous” chapter 17
incubi means holder of a disease so it shows Jane’s marginalised status- powerless -upper class attitudes to governesses- lack of empathy for Jane. Blanche is a snob, bully
chapter 18
appearance, disguise and reality
‘playing charades’ chapter 18
metaphor for Rochester lying about who he is
Jane’s view of Blanche
negative/condescending ‘tenderness and truth were not in her’
Mason chapter 18
dramatic arrival of a stranger fits nicely with the images of disguise and theatricality of charades
“no contact strikes the fire from you that is in you” chapter 19
Rochester talking to Jane through charades - fire Bronte has been talking about all the way through. Rochester honest to Jane only when in disguise -metaphorical for all the lies
“don’t keep me long; the fire scorches me” chapter 19
just going to be too hot or could be the fire which consumes Thornfield or her feelings for Rochester that overwhelm her or the danger of trusting Rochester or her vulnerability
“the passions may rage furiously” chapter 19
sense Rochester has closely observed Jane and understands the essence of her nature
“I shall try to forgive you but it was not right” chapter 19
forgiving him for the charade. clear sense of propriety. foreshadows her refusal to become his mistress. form of adultery? or to do with Jane’s self worth
“my little friend!” chapter 19
Rochester shows equality
chapter 20
lunacy. echoes of red room torturing Jane
‘the moon, which was full and bright, came in her course to that space in the sky opposite my casement’ chapter 20
Bronte is personifying the moon. Victorians believed that the moon ruled mad people
‘a savage, a sharp, a shrilly sound’ chapter 20
sibillance - Bertha. Gothic overtones. attack on Mason - “she bit me… she worried me like a tigress”
‘I heard thence a snarling, snatching sound, almost like a dog quarrelling’ chapter 20
mad as being less then human alternatively how physically violent she is. animalistic
‘what crime was this… what mystery… what creature was it…?’ chapter 20
repeated questions heightens mystery
“she sucked the blood: she said she’d drain my heart” chapter 20
attack on Mason. Vampiric imagery adds to highly gothic atmosphere. one could argue that she is attacking the symbols of patriarchy
“all is real, sweet and pure… Jane will you have a flower?” chapter 20
sense Rochester wants to escape. extended metaphor. Garden of Eden trope - prelapsarian imagery
dreaming chapter 21
classic gothic trope - Jane see it as a bad omen
“Mr John died… they say he killed himself” chapter 21
very shameful for family. foreshadows Jane going back to Gateshead - structually like Beauty and the Beast-allows Jane to complete the business of childhood
‘again she regarded me so icily… her feelings towards me - unchanged and unchangeable’ chapter 21
Mrs Reed hasn’t changed
Georgiana “you could not bear me to be raised above you” chapter 21
Georgiana presented like Blanche
“I disliked you too fixedly…I said I was sorry for his disappointment, but Jane Eyre was dead” chapter 21
Mrs Reed reveals letter of inheritance to Jane dated three years ago. lies - no reconciliation - Aunt Reed hasn’t changed
‘living, she had ever hated me - dying, she must hate me still… neither of us dropped a tear’ chapter 21
Aunt Reed becomes a foil to Jane’s character
chapter 22
Jane returns to Thornfield
‘how full the hedges are of roses!… shooting leafy and flowery branches across the path’ chapter 22
In the present tense - sense of immediacy or retrospective - vivid memory. metaphor- rightness and naturalness of their relationship through nature
“fairy” chapter 22
Rochester to Jane. link back to “they are elfish”. magical - gothic overtones. transformative power of love. subtle way of telling Jane he loves her
‘a splendid midsummer shone over England’ chapter 23
suggest magic and love - love will be thwarted
‘Eden-like’ chapter 23
Jane’s lack of knowledge. Prelapsarian innocence before the fall
‘my tears gushed out… colder the thought of all the brine and foam… coldest the remembrance of the wider ocean’ chapter 23
response to Rochester teasing her. literal ocean and then the remembrance of the wider ocean - can’t be his equal - divide between them socially
“I should take to bleeding inwardly” chapter 23
Rochester would metaphorically bleed to death without her. Jane is a part of him as Eve was a part of Adam - cannot undo it. Jane and Rochester equal - her response is “I see the necessity of departure; it is like looking on the necessity of death” - metaphorical death-simile- showing her emotions-strong willed
“do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton? do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? you think wrong!” chapter 23
exclamatory and deep response on independence and equality filled with anaphora and rhetorical questions
“equal - as we are!” chapter 23
images of love - talking to him as an equal and lover and Rochester repeats the “as we are” to show a shared sense of equality between them
“I am no bird” chapter 23
Romantic image -inspired by French Rev. fighting for free will
‘trembled through the boroughs of the chestnut’ chapter 23
pathetic fallacy. chestnut is a symbol of life
chapter 23
Rochester proposes to Jane
“your bride stands between us” chapter 23
Jane talking about Blanche so ironic image of Bertha. Rochester replies “my bride is here… because my equal is here, and my likeness”
“God pardon me!” chapter 23
Rochester asks for God’s forgiveness
“my little wife” chapter 23
kisses him - eating the apple
‘it writhed and groaned… a livid, vivid spark leapt out of a cloud’ chapter 23
personification and pathetic fallacy. symbolism of storm - after Rochester addresses God, it suggests God will not pardon the sin of adultery
‘the great horse-chestnut… had been struck by lightning… and half of it split away’ chapter 23
tree splits in two - ominous - marriage is doomed. still roots of love. innocence gone
Mrs Fairfax once she finds out getting married chapter 24
representative of wider society - judgemental
“pale, little elf” chapter 24
epithet - communion of souls suggests a connection between them
“Jewels for Jane Eyre sounds unnatural and strange” chapter 24
she’s not interested in his wealth or her new status or she does not want to feel trapped - sinister irony - Bertha
‘shut the Bible’ chapter 24
Mrs Fairfax voice of people - concern to level of it being a dream - closing her eyes to the legalities - knows Rochester will commit bigamy - separating herself from his decision and its consequences
“all is not gold that glitters” chapter 24
Mrs Fairfax warns Jane with an old saying - trouble is still clearly foreshadowed and worried about class difference
‘I never can bear being dressed like a doll by Mr Rochester’ chapter 24
Mr Rochester wants her to look like an upper class wife. Jane rejects his mark of superiority. she still desires independence - even whilst being engaged
Jane still wants to work chapter 24
her work offers independence
“nor care I now, how dense and grim disasters gather nigh” chapter 24
Rochester sings to Jane. Use of ballad form is a classic trope in the gothic genre as it foreshadows drama and disaster
‘my future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven’ chapter 24
blasphemous. Jane’s world/God is becoming Rochester which is another ill omen
chapter 25
gothic chapter - night before wedding - full of ill omens
“the shape… it was a discoloured face - a savage face.. the Vampyre” chapter 25
Bertha visits Jane. Jane dehumanising her. link between Bertha and Jane - needs to be humanised and civilised. discoloured and savage - typical to expect in 1860s - comes from the colonies - seen by the British as savage, animal-like and outlandish. vampire - the ‘other’ link to lunar
“the veil, torn from top to bottom in two halves!” chapter 25
symbolic - Bertha claiming position of Rochester’s wife. shows Bertha’s strength and power. Bertha and her mental illness is a distorted reflection of Jane Eyre’s Englishness. ‘other’ side of her - denied a voice and identity
“fair as a lily” chapter 26
image of virginity
chapter 26
wedding
“for be ye well assured that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God’s Word doth allow, are not joined together by God” chapter 26
the wedding vows remind the reader of the day of judgement. how society would treat them - foreshadowing what would happen if they commit bigamy - increasing mystery
“Mr Rochester has a wife now living” chapter 26
appearance vs reality
“her mother, the Creole, was both a madwoman and a drunkard!” chapter 26
suggestion to Bertha’s madness - mixing of white blood and black blood - victorian belief
‘a quantity of dark, grizzled hair, wild as a mane, hid its head and face’ chapter 26
madness has robbed her of humanity - need to feel sympathy for Rochester. bestial imagery - animalesque
“Wood and Briggs, look at the difference!” chapter 26
contrast between Jane and Bertha. legal and religious side both in the room
‘Jane Eyre, who had been an ardent, expectant woman - almost bride, was a cold, solitary girl again: her life was pale, her prospects were desolate’ chapter 26
seasonal imagery to emphasise loss, loneliness and shock
chapter 27
structure resembles Jane wrestling with her conscience
‘Conscience, turned tyrant, held Passion by the throat’ chapter 27
Bronte personifies conscience and passion
‘reader, I forgave him at the moment and on the spot’ chapter 27
Jane forgiving Rochester. another moment of crisis
‘I posses an old house, Ferndean Manor’ chapter 27
foreshadowing meeting point and the denouement
“I seldom saw her alone and had very little private conversation with her… marriage was achieved almost before I knew where I was” chapter 27
Rochester rushed into marriage. Bronte is commenting on upper class tradition and how disastrous it can be
“doctors now discovered that my wife was mad - her excesses had prematurely developed the germs of insanity” chapter 27
‘my wife’ in italics to show how he hates saying those words - legally he can’t divorce her
“Go” said Hope… “let her identity, her connection with yourself, be buried with oblivion”’ chapter 27
personifies hope. story of Bertha - what to do with her after finding out she was mad
“Hiring a mistress is the next worse thing to buying a slave” chapter 27
ironically Rochester shows a sense of respect to woman - he values Jane - extremely honest - men would not be at that time- Rochester loves Jane because she is the antithesis of Bertha
“Mr Rochester, I will not be yours…do as I do: trust in God and yourself… I advise you to live sinless and I wish you to die tranquil” chapter 27
pivotal moment - love vs duty
‘Gentle, reader may you never feel what I then felt! May your eyes never shed such stormy, scalding, heart-wrung tears as poured from mine’ chapter 27
passion burst out - just left Thornfield
